Here are some of our tips for a smoothER* permit submission process. No guarantees when dealing with the city of Philadelphia, but these few conscious adjustments can go a LONG way. ESPECIALLY getting a proof of application and application number from your GC or whomever is applying on your behalf. ...
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The Typology of Permits Property development can be complicated. And if you are new to the world of city regulation and permits, it may be difficult to predict exactly what you need in order to successfully, and legally, complete a project. The typology of permits is generally broken down into two categories; Building and Zoning. This is because city regulations are also separated by these terms and...
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Faced with Facade /fəˈsäd/ noun There are many obstacles to overcome when changing anything about buildings in the city of Philadelphia. Chances are, change comes with a permit attached to it. However, facade changes, in particular, may require more attention than your regular Building Permit. To avoid getting those annoying requests for additional information that end up costing time and money, make sure you know whether or not...
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What is a Certificate of Occupancy? EDIT 11/21/19: The City of Philadelphia is now requiring all multifamily properties, even two-families, to obtain a Certificate of Occupancy. The Certificate of Occupancy may be the most elusive of all permits. So we wanted to give everyone the low down on what this document is, how to obtain it, and how to know if you even need it. A Certificate of...
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The Official Word “You need to get a Certificate of Occupancy if you’re planning to change the designated use or occupancy of a space.” -City of Philadelphia As you may or may not know the Use of a space is regulated through Zoning. However, a Certificate of Occupancy is a form of Building Permit. Typically, when you change the Use of a space you are also renovating it...
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An additional information request is sent by Licenses and Inspections whenever one of their plans examiners wants to know more about your project. Getting this letter is not an indication of failure, it is actually considered a standard response as requirements for permits can be as unpredictable as the weather. However, in the off chance you do not receive a request for additional information, you deserve...
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Previously in this blog, we’ve mentioned the City of Philadelphia’s requests for additional information. Since we see a lot of these, we are going to create a catalogue of the requests as a reference guide. We hope that this will help our clients, design partners, and contractors better understand what information is most commonly missing from an application. (If you haven’t seen it before, it’s...
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Previously in this blog, we’ve mentioned the City of Philadelphia’s requests for additional information. Since we see a lot of these, we are going to create a catalogue of the requests as a reference guide. We hope that this will help our clients, design partners, and contractors better understand what information is most commonly missing from an application. (If you haven’t seen it before, it’s...
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Monday was my first day at Philadelphia Zoning. To say it was overwhelming would be putting it mildly. I have a BA in Urban Studies, but the training of a university degree doesn’t compare to the concrete knowledge I’ve obtained in my first week here. I knew from my studies that cities are the impetus of economic growth propelling places like Dubai from a dusty...
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Previously in this blog, we’ve mentioned the City of Philadelphia’s requests for additional information. Since we see a lot of these, we are going to create a catalogue of the requests as a reference guide. We hope that this will help our clients, design partners, and contractors better understand what information is most commonly missing from an application. (If you haven’t seen it before, it’s...
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